


Face In A Crowded Room

by TheCuriousCrusader



Series: Novak Quintuplets AU [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anxious Castiel, Dean Has Self-Worth Issues, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Protective Jimmy, quintuplets - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-24 13:55:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6155818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCuriousCrusader/pseuds/TheCuriousCrusader
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean feels guilty when he struggles to tell Castiel apart from the rest of his brothers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Face In A Crowded Room

**Author's Note:**

> Hello lovelies!
> 
> So I created this silly little AU on Tumblr, and I've made gifsets about it, character profiles, and posted these drabbles all on my blog. A few people asked me to post those drabbles here, so, here they are!
> 
> I also stress that Misha is based on the meta character from 'The French Mistake' who we know to be a bit...douchey? XD
> 
> If you have any questions about the AU I would be happy to answer them :) x

“Dean, I’m not sure that I’m comfortable with doing this” Castiel fretted as he turned to face his boyfriend. 

They were sat in Dean’s Impala outside of a lavish looking town hall. Misha was hosting a table at a black tie charity event and had invited them along. 

“Why not, Cas?” Dean asked softly, taking Castiel’s hand and giving it a squeeze of reassurance. 

“Well it’s just…there will be a lot of people there, people I don’t know, in a crowded area. What if I have to make conversation with some of them?” He sighed and looked at down at his lap as he started to nervously fiddle with the crease in his trousers. “They’ll think there’s something wrong with me…”

Dean cupped his hand to Castiel’s left cheek, resulting in the smaller man looking up at him.

“Cas, if anyone seriously thinks that about you then they’re ignorant sons of bitches and don’t deserve to know you anyway.” Dean spoke firmly, and Castiel could see in his sweet green eyes Dean strongly believed that. “Besides, I’m here, and all of your brothers. It’ll be fine.”

“Okay” Castiel gave a nod of affirmation before placing a delicate kiss on Dean’s lips. “Thank you.”

Dean smiled at him proudly. “C’mon, let’s go in.”

\---------------------

As Castiel predicted the room was absolutely full with men in suits, and women in long evening dresses. Castiel – who had his arm linked with Dean – pulled himself a little closer to his boyfriend as his eyes bounced around the room. Dean immediately noticed his partner’s uneasiness.

“Cas, if this is really going to be hard for you we can just leave.” 

“No, I’ll be okay. I want to be here for Misha.”

“Hey, Cas!” 

Castiel and Dean turned to see one of Castiel’s brothers waving and slipping their way through the crowd to meet them.

“Hello, Misha” Castiel said as his brother hugged him. 

“Glad you could make it” Misha grinned before pulling back to look Dean up and down. “Well, don’t you clean up well?”

“Great looking party” Dean said ignoring the comment. “Tell me, what’s it in aid of again?”

“Well it’s um...you know…guys who…have three nipples or something, I don’t know. It’s just good for publicity if I show up at these things.”

“Misha” Castiel said with a scolding tone.

“Oh, c’mon, I’m giving them their money, what else do they want?” Misha argued. “Now, I have some people that I want you to meet!”

Misha grabbed Castiel by the sleeve of his jacket and started to drag him through the crowd. Castiel looked back at Dean desperately, but then someone accidently shoved Dean’s shoulder and he went spinning the other way. When Dean looked back Castiel and Misha had disappeared.

“Dammit” he cursed and started to struggle through the crowd after them. 

Dean eventually spotted Castiel chatting with some pompous old man on the other side of the room. As Dean approached the other man moved along and Castiel was left sipping his champagne.

Dean went up behind Castiel and wrapped his arms around the smaller man’s waist. He felt how Castiel tensed but didn’t think anything of it.

“Hey, baby, I’m glad I found you.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Dean recoiled in surprise. Castiel was frowning at him like he’d gone insane. Dean’s eyes widened as the realisation crept slowly through him. 

“You’re not Castiel.”

“No, genius” the Novak brother said sarcastically. “Jimmy!” he exclaimed, pointing to his own face when Dean continued to look at him blankly.

“Yes, of course! Sorry, Jimmy” Dean blabbered with pure embarrassment.

“Ya know, Winchester, if you’re as in love with my brother as you say you are I’d have hoped you’d be able to tell if you’re talking to him or not.” As Castiel and Dean’s relationship was still pretty new Jimmy was still trying to establish just how protective he was of his brother. 

“I well I…you’re all wearing suits” Dean stammered. “...dress code…only saw you from behind.” 

Jimmy sighed. “It’s okay, it took Amelia a while too” he assured Dean. This brought Dean some relief. “Just don’t ever touch me like that again.”

“Of course not” Dean said sheepishly. “Have you seen Cas? He gets anxious at this sort of thing if I’m not with him. Last I saw him he was with Misha.”

Jimmy’s eyes widened slightly. “Crap. Then we definitely have to rescue…uh, find him. I’ll go over this way, you check over there.”

Dean nodded and they split up in opposite directions.

Dean spotted two of the Novak brothers stood talking at the bar, but he cursed himself as yet again he wasn’t certain if one of them was Castiel. He approached them with much more caution. 

“Hey, guys.”

“Hello” the brothers said in unison.

Dean looked around. He needed a subtle way to distinguish them.

“Say, what do you think of that fine gentleman over there?” he asked, indicating to a handsome smiling man a few feet away.

“Well, I’m wondering why you’re asking since you’re dating my brother” one of the Novaks said. He looked over at the man and tilted his head to the side. “Although he does have an appealing physique.”

_Steve_ ; Dean mentally noted.

The other brother just smirked. “I am a married man.”

_Emmanuel._

“Well he doesn’t hold a light to Castiel of course” Dean said to appease them. “I was just thinking for, um…my brother, anyway, have you guys seen Cas?”

Emmanuel and Steve shook their heads simultaneously. 

Dean sighed with defeat. “Okay, I’ll catch you guys later.”

He hurried off back into the seemingly never ending hall. 

“Dean!” 

Dean turned to see who had called out for him and saw one of the Novaks approaching him.

“I’m so glad I found you again” he smiled.

“Cas” Dean said with relief.

“I hate being away from you.”

He was about kiss Dean when another, more annoyed shout, brought things to a holt.

“Misha!”

“Dammit” the Novak in front of Dean cursed. 

“Misha?” Dean repeated with confusion. Usually Misha would have just outright hit on him. 

“It was worth a shot” Misha shrugged before disappearing off again.

“Sorry about that. And it is me, Cas, before you get yourself worked up again” he said as he hugged Dean’s waist. “Jimmy told me what happened” he added with an amused smile.

“I know, I’m so sorry” Dean started to fret, feeling the guilt well up in his chest. “I’m sorry I’m such a crap boyfriend that I can’t even tell you apart from your brothers.”

“Hey, don’t say things like that. You’re the best boyfriend I’ve ever had and I love you. I know it must be hard” Castiel said as he cupped Dean’s cheeks with his hand. “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay” Dean argued. “You deserve better. I…I need some air. I’m sorry.”

“Dean” Castiel said pleadingly, but Dean just pulled away and headed for the exit.

\---------------------

Dean had retreated to his car and was sat on the hood. He knew he probably shouldn't have hurried out like that but he was angry at himself for being so incompetent. Castiel deserved a lot better.

"Dean!"

He turned and saw one of the Novaks walking towards him.

"Not now, Jimmy" he sighed.

"No, you better have a damn good explanation as to why my little brother is so upset! You-"

He paused in his rant and looked contemplative.

"Oh, man. I didn't mean for Cas to be upset" Dean said as he rubbed his hands down his face. He felt the guilt in his stomach twist.

"How'd you know it was me?"

Dean frowned. "What?"

"How did you know I'm Jimmy?"

"Because I knew you'd be the one to storm out here and kick my ass" Dean replied, oblivious to the point the Novak was trying to make. "And you have this...fierce glare when you get all protective."

Jimmy laughed and shook his head incredulously. "Put it all together, dumbass" he encouraged.

Dean looked at Jimmy like he'd gone insane, but then the Winchester's eyes widened slightly as the realisation suck in.

"I knew you were you!" Dean exclaimed as he stood up and pointed at Jimmy frantically.

Jimmy laughed and provided a slow clap.

"I told you, you'll get there eventually" He said. "You've just got to pick up on the little things."

Flashes of all Castiel's personal quirks suddenly coursed through Dean's mind. The way he tilted his head and squinted when he didn't understand something or was thinking hard. The goofy grin he got when he saw a cute animal or the soft smile when Dean walked through the door after a long day at work. Even the way he rolled his whole head along with his eyes when he was exasperated.

Dean realised those were some of the things he loved most Castiel, and he would know them anywhere if he was just confident enough to act on them alone.

"I have to see Cas" he said determinedly.

Jimmy stepped aside. Dean felt that was a much deeper rite of passage than it seemed; he had finally earned the oldest Novak's approval.

Dean took off, jumping up the steps two at a time. As soon as he entered the room he saw the Novak brothers; it was hard to miss four guys who looked identical all stood together.

"Cas!" Dean called. All four brothers turned to look at him.

He walked right up to Castiel and cupped his cheeks before kissing him deeply. Castiel reciprocated as he pulled his body closer to Dean's.

"I'm sorry for running off like that" Dean said as he broke away. "I love you so much."

"I love you too" Castiel said with relief, and a smile Dean was so familiar with. "You do know me. I just wish you'd have more self-belief."

"Of course I know you" Dean said confidently. "I'm starting to know all of you! I know that's Misha because he's done nothing but stare at my ass this whole time."

"I'm sorry, could you have worn any tighter pants!?" The youngest Novak asked sarcastically.

Dean turned. "I know that's Emmanuel because of how disapprovingly he's looking at Misha."

"What? C'mon, Em, don't be such a prude" Misha said, hitting his brother's shoulder. "God's not going to smite me down for enjoying the view."

"Don't call me that" Emmanuel said sternly. "And I know you're harmless really" he said with a smirk pinching his brother's cheek. Misha pouted and batted his hand away.

"And Steve is mixture of hungry and embarrassed to be near us right now" Dean finished his conclusions.

Steve's cheeks flushed red. "Wh-what? No" he stammered. "I-I would never-"

Jimmy rescued him by appearing and slinging an arm around his shoulder.

"Well if you're going to be part of this family be prepared to be embarrassed a lot" he claimed.

"I'm ready" Dean said as he turned to smile at Casitel.

Castiel beamed back at him.

He just knew his brothers would like Dean. Because he loved him.


End file.
